Name: direct intrathecal injection of recombinant adeno-associated viruses in adult mice
Uploaded: 2019-02-15T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Direct Intrathecal Injection of Recombinant Adeno-associated Viruses in Adult Mice at JoVE.com

This work was funded by a grant from HEBEI Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security (CY201605) and a grant from Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (H2017206101), and we are very grateful to Dr. for Guangping Gao, who provided the AAV for this study.

FVB/NJ mice were bred in the animal facility of Key Laboratory of Hebei Neurology. All mouse experiments were approved by the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University Ethics Committee and carried out according to the regulations of laboratory animal management promulgated by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People&#39;s Republic of China.
1. Preparation of 20% Lidocaine Hydrochloride Stock Solution
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	<li>Weigh 2 g of lidocaine hydrochloride. Add 5&#8211;6 mL of sterile wa...

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	<li>Murlidharan, G., Samulski, R. J., Asokan, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biology+of+adeno-associated+viral+vectors+in+the+central+nervous+system.">Biology of adeno-associated viral vectors in the central nervous system.</a> Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 7, 76 (2014).</li><li>Lentz, T. B., Gray, S. J., Samulski, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Viral+vectors+for+gene+delivery+to+the+central+nervous+system.">Viral vectors for gene delivery to the central nervous system.</a> Neurobiology Disease. 48 (2), 179-188 (2012).</li><li>Yang, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Global+CNS+transduction+of+adult+mice+by+intravenously+delivered+rAAVrh.8+and+rAAVrh.10+and+nonhuman+primates+by+rAAVrh.10.">Global CNS transduction of adult mice by intravenously delivered rAAVrh.8 and rAAVrh.10 and nonhuman primates by rAAVrh.10.</a> Molecular Therapy. 22 (7), 1299-1309 (2014).</li><li>Guo, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Single+Injection+of+Recombinant+Adeno-Associated+Virus+into+the+Lumbar+Cistern+Delivers+Transgene+Expression+Throughout+the+Whole+Spinal+Cord.">A Single Injection of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus into the Lumbar Cistern Delivers Transgene Expression Throughout the Whole Spinal Cord.</a> Molecular Neurobiology. 53 (5), 3235-3248 (2016).</li><li>Hastie, E., Samulski, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adeno-associated+virus+at+50:+a+golden+anniversary+of+discovery,+research,+and+gene+therapy+success--a+personal+perspective.">Adeno-associated virus at 50: a golden anniversary of discovery, research, and gene therapy success--a personal perspective.</a> Human Gene Therapy. 26 (5), 257-265 (2015).</li><li>Hocquemiller, M., Giersch, L., Audrain, M., Parker, S., Cartier, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adeno-Associated+Virus-Based+Gene+Therapy+for+CNS+Diseases.">Adeno-Associated Virus-Based Gene Therapy for CNS Diseases.</a> Human Gene Therapy. 27 (7), 478-496 (2016).</li><li>Tanguy, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Systemic+AAVrh10+provides+higher+transgene+expression+than+AAV9+in+the+brain+and+the+spinal+cord+of+neonatal+mice.">Systemic AAVrh10 provides higher transgene expression than AAV9 in the brain and the spinal cord of neonatal mice.</a> Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 8, 36 (2015).</li><li>Federic, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Robust+spinal+motor+neuron+transduction+following+intrathecal+delivery+of+AAV9+in+pigs.">Robust spinal motor neuron transduction following intrathecal delivery of AAV9 in pigs.</a> Gene Therapy. 19, 852-859 (2012).</li><li>Ayers, J. I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Widespread+and+efficient+transduction+of+spinal+cord+and+brain+following+neonatal+AAV+injection+and+potential+disease+modifying+effect+in+ALS+mice.">Widespread and efficient transduction of spinal cord and brain following neonatal AAV injection and potential disease modifying effect in ALS mice.</a> Molecular Therapy. 23 (1), 53-62 (2015).</li><li>Li, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Slow+Intrathecal+Injection+of+rAAVrh10+Enhances+its+Transduction+of+Spinal+Cord+and+Therapeutic+Efficacy+in+a+Mutant+SOD1+Model+of+ALS.">Slow Intrathecal Injection of rAAVrh10 Enhances its Transduction of Spinal Cord and Therapeutic Efficacy in a Mutant SOD1 Model of ALS.</a> Neuroscience. 365, 192-205 (2017).</li><li>Borel, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Therapeutic+rAAVrh10+Mediated+SOD1+Silencing+in+Adult+SOD1(G93A)+Mice+and+Nonhuman+Primates.">Therapeutic rAAVrh10 Mediated SOD1 Silencing in Adult SOD1(G93A) Mice and Nonhuman Primates.</a> Human Gene Therapy. 27 (1), 19-31 (2016).</li><li>Fairbanks, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spinal+delivery+of+analgesics+in+experimental+models+of+pain+and+analgesia.">Spinal delivery of analgesics in experimental models of pain and analgesia.</a> Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 55 (8), 1007-1041 (2003).</li><li>Hylden, J. L., Wilcox, G. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intrathecal+morphine+in+mice:+a+new+technique.">Intrathecal morphine in mice: a new technique.</a> European Journal of Pharmacology. 67, 313-316 (1980).</li><li>Wang, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Widespread+spinal+cord+transduction+by+intrathecal+injection+of+rAAV+delivers+efficacious+RNAi+therapy+for+amyotrophic+lateral+sclerosis.">Widespread spinal cord transduction by intrathecal injection of rAAV delivers efficacious RNAi therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 23 (3), 668-681 (2014).</li><li>Wang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=scAAV9-VEGF+prolongs+the+survival+of+transgenic+ALS+mice+by+promoting+activation+of+M2+microglia+and+PI3K/Akt+pathway.">scAAV9-VEGF prolongs the survival of transgenic ALS mice by promoting activation of M2 microglia and PI3K/Akt pathway.</a> Brain Research. 1648, 1-10 (2016).</li></ol>

Technically, there are several critical steps during the IT injection in awake mice. First, proper gesture and firm control of the mice throughout the entire operation is a prerequisite for successful delivery. Second, the most difficult point is feeling the intervertebral space with the needle tip, as it is necessary not to insert too deeply without resistance or insert forcibly under strong resistance in the case of injuring the animals or bending the needle tip. Third, although the transient paralysis due to lidocaine...

AAV can mediate long-term and widespread gene expression in the CNS transduction with few side effects, and therefore has become one of the most promising vehicles for gene therapy to treat CNS diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington&#39;s disease (HD), Alzheimer&#39;s disease (AD), lysosomal storage diseases (LSD), Gaucher disease (GD), and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL)1. Presently, more than 100 AAV serotypes have been isolated from humans and animals. Among these, at least 12 have been used in preclinical and clinical trials, including the most commonly used gene vectors such as AAV1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, rAAVrh.8, and rAAVrh.101,2,3,4,5,6.
Different CNS diseases require different AAV delivery strategies due to the various affected CNS regions and cell types. The CNS regions and cell types that AAV can transduce varies depending on the serotype as well as delivery method. For example, rAAVrh10 has been shown to transduce predominantly astrocytes when delivered by systemic intravenous injection (IV), whereas it transduced both neurons and glia when delivered by intrathecal injection4,7. Additionally, parenchyma injection resulted in local transduction to the vicinity of the injection site, whereas injection into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through intraventricular or intrathecal injection resulted in widespread CNS transduction8. Studies have also demonstrated therapeutic potency of AAV-delivered gene therapy in neurodegenerative disorders by IT administration9,10,11. In diseases that affect broad areas of the CNS such as ALS, intrathecal injection into the CSF has been shown to cover most areas that are afflicted by the disease with a lower dose, compared to a systemic delivery method4,10. Recent studies have also shown that lumbar puncture can be used to inject AAV in mouse models for ALS, which avoids potential injuries associated with laminectomy and intrathecal catheterization4.
Experimental direct lumbar puncture was first used to deliver agents, especially anesthetics, to the spinal cord for analgesia and anesthesia in 188512,13. In this report, we illustrate the lumbar puncture IT injection method in adult mice with the aid of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride, a local amide-derived anesthetic, in the injection solution to evaluate and monitor injection quality. Successful injections were marked by lidocaine-induced transient paralysis, whereas failed injections did not show this behavior. We classified the level of transient weakness as one of five grades to help predict the injection efficiency. Finally, we show that the rAAVrh10 transduction level may be predicted by the grade of paralysis. Therefore, this intrathecal AAV delivery method can be used to enhance AAV-mediated gene-delivery for experimental therapy of CNS diseases.

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	<tbody>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">FVB/NJ mice</td>
			<td style="width:219px;">Charles River Laboratories China</td>
			<td style="width:199px;"></td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Lidocaine hydrochloride monohydrate</td>
			<td>HEOWNS</td>
			<td>73-78-9</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="47">
			<td height="47" style="height:47px;">AAV</td>
			<td style="width:417px;">Viral Vector Core of the Gene Therapy Center at University of Massachusetts Medical School</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">25&#181;L&#160; Hamilton syringe/27-30g needle</td>
			<td>GASTIGHT</td>
			<td>1702</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">O.C.T compond</td>
			<td>SAKURA</td>
			<td>4583</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">H 2O 2</td>
			<td>SHUI HUAN PAI</td>
			<td>170401</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Goat serum</td>
			<td>Solarbio</td>
			<td>S9070</td>
			<td></td>
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		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Triton X-100</td>
			<td>LIFE SCIENCES</td>
			<td>T8200</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Rabbit anti-GFP</td>
			<td>Life tech</td>
			<td>G10362</td>
			<td>1:333 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">The second antibody (goat-anti rabbit)</td>
			<td>Jackson Immuno Research</td>
			<td>111-005-144</td>
			<td>1:1000 dilution</td>
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		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">VECTASTAIN ABC REAGENT</td>
			<td>Vector Lab</td>
			<td>PK-6100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">ImmPACT DAB Peroxidase Substrate Kit</td>
			<td>Vector Lab</td>
			<td>SK-4105</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Mounting medium for fluorescence with DAPI</td>
			<td>Vectorshield</td>
			<td>H-1200</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">NaCl</td>
			<td>Yong Da Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:199px;"></td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">NaH2PO4&#183;2H2O</td>
			<td>Yong Da Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:199px;"></td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">Na2HPO4&#183;12H2O</td>
			<td>Yong Da Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:199px;"></td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>Yong Da Chemical</td>
			<td>307699</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Adhesion Microscope Slides</td>
			<td>CITOGLAS</td>
			<td>17083</td>
			<td>25*75 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">SUPER-SLIP MICRO-GLAS</td>
			<td>Electro Microscopy Siences</td>
			<td>72236-60</td>
			<td>24*60 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">15 ml Centrifuge tube</td>
			<td>CORNING</td>
			<td>430790</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">96 well cell culture cluster</td>
			<td>Coster</td>
			<td>3599</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">24 well cell culture cluster</td>
			<td>Coster</td>
			<td>3524</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">70% Ethanol</td>
			<td>WEN ZHI</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Gauze</td>
			<td>Wei AN</td>
			<td>05171112</td>
			<td>8cm*10cm*12cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">1mL syringe</td>
			<td>Hong Da</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">Microtubes</td>
			<td>Plasmed</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Micropipet&#160;</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Peppet tips</td>
			<td>Rainin</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Centirifuge</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>5427R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Regerator</td>
			<td>Haier</td>
			<td>BCD-539WT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Filter</td>
			<td>MILLEX GP</td>
			<td>R4PA42342</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">Pump</td>
			<td style="width:219px;">LongerPump</td>
			<td style="width:199px;">BT-100-2J/YZ1515X</td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;">Microscope</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>BX53</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="32">
			<td height="32" style="height:32px;width:284px;">Freezing-microtome</td>
			<td style="width:219px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:199px;">CM1520</td>
			<td style="width:131px;"></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

direct intrathecal injection of recombinant adeno-associated viruses in adult mice

Intrathecal (IT) injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) has drawn considerable interest in CNS gene therapy by virtue of its safety, noninvasiveness, and excellent transduction efficacy in the CNS.&#160;Previous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potency of AAV-delivered gene therapy in neurodegenerative disorders by IT administration. However, high rates of unpredictable failure due to the technical limitation of IT administration in small animals have been reported. Here, we established a scoring system to indicate the success extent of lumbar puncture in small animals by adding 1% lidocaine hydrochloride into the injection solution. We further show that the extent of transient weakness following injection can predict the transduction efficiency of AAV. Thus, this IT injection method can be used to optimize therapeutic trials in mouse models of CNS diseases that afflict wide regions of the CNS.

Mice showed different degrees of transient weakness right after IT injection of AAV solution in 1% lidocaine hydrochloride due to various quality of intrathecal injection. According to the semi-quantitative 5-grade scoring system we have established, we tested the transduction patterns of AAV in mice with different degrees of lidocaine-induced limb weakness (score 0, n = 2; score 1, n = 1; score 4, n = 4; score 5, n = 3). EGFP immunostaining of spinal cords showed either no or little tran...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Direct Intrathecal Injection of Recombinant Adeno-associated Viruses in Adult Mice at JoVE.com

Direct Intrathecal Injection of Recombinant Adeno-associated Viruses in Adult Mice

Here we present a direct intrathecal injection technique using 1% lidocaine hydrochloride in a viral solution to ensure efficient adeno-associated virus delivery to small animals and establish a scoring system to predict transduction efficiency in the central nervous system according to the degree of transient weakness induced by lidocaine.

Intrathecal (IT) injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) has drawn considerable interest in CNS gene therapy by virtue of its safety, noninvasiveness, ...

This method facilitates the efficient intrathecal delivery of adeno-associated viral transgenes in awake small animals for the experimental treatment of central nervous system diseases such as ALS. The main advantage of this method is that the viral solution includes 1%lidocaine hydrochloride which induces a transient paralysis after a successful injection. Although this method provide a visual indicator for judging the success of the intrathecal automated situation, sufficient practice is essential for improving the success rate of the delivery.Before beginning the procedure, attach a 27 gauge needle to a 25 microliter Hamilton syringe and align the beveled tip of the needle with the volumetric scale on the syringe. Then carefully load 8 microliters of 4 x 10 to the 10th genome copies of the virus solution into the syringe, taking care to avoid bubbles. Next, place an awake 30 to 70 day old 12 to 30 gram mouse on a bed piece in the prone position in a biosafety hood and cover the upper body with sterile gauze to calm the mouse and to avoid being bitten.Firmly grip the mouse on its pelvic girdle with the thumb on one side and the forefinger and middle finger on the other side keeping the skin between the bilateral pelvic girdles taut with a thumb and forefinger. Then shave the fur between the bilateral pelvic girdles and sterilize the exposed skin with an iodine based scrub and 70%ethanol. For direct intrathecal delivery of the adeno-associated virus solution, palpate the intervertebral space along the midline between the bilateral pelvic girdles and use a fingernail to depress an indentation into the skin to indicate the L5 to L6 intervertebral space.Rotate the base of the tail slightly and gently to reveal the midline of the spine and adjust the bevel of the needle toward the head of the animal. With the mouse fixed firmly into position, align the needle along the midline of the spine and insert the needle gently and vertically into the center of the indentation keeping the syringe in a central sagittal plane. When the needle comes into contact with the bone, slowly decrease the angle to approximately 30 degrees and slip the needle into the intervertebral space.A sudden tail flick is a sign of a successful entry into the intradural space. When the needle enters the intervertebral space, the tip will feel firmly clamped. Inject the vector solution, and maintain the needle within the intradural space for one minute.Then slowly withdraw the needle with rotation to minimize leakage. Immediately score the transient weakness of the mouse limbs to evaluate the injection quality and return the mouse to its cage for recovery from the paralysis. At the appropriate experimental endpoint, fix the limbs and head of the injected mouse in the prone position on a foam box cover and use scissors to strip and remove the skin from the head to the sacrum.Clip the skull between the eyes, cut along the midline of the skull and the horizontal line above the cerebellum and open the skull on each side. Use tweezers to remove the occipital bone and use ophthalmic scissors to open the spinal canal bilaterally. Cut the ribs on both sides and carefully remove the upper section of vertebrae.Use curved tweezers to lift the brain and sever the nerves of the skull base. Then carefully extract the whole brain and spinal cord and fix the tissues in 4%paraformaldehyde for 24 hours. At the end of the fixation period, cryoprotect the brain and cervical and lumbar spinal cord in 30%sucrose solution overnight at 4 degrees Celsius followed by embedding in optimum cutting temperature compound before snap freezing in liquid nitrogen.Then use a cryostat to obtain 25 micrometer thick sections of each tissue, storing the frozen sections in 0.01 molar PBS at 4 degrees Celsius as they are obtained. For immunohistochemical analysis of the tissues, pretreat the free floating sections with 1%hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes followed by a 10 minute wash in PBS. Next incubate the samples in blocking solution containing 5%serum and 0.3%non-ionic detergent in PBS for 1 hour followed by overnight labeling at 4 degrees Celsius with the appropriate primary antibodies of interest.The next day, wash the sections with 3 10 minute washes in PBS plus Tween and incubate the slides with the appropriate corresponding biotinylated secondary antibodies at room temperature for 1 hour after the last wash. At the end of the incubation, wash the sections 3 times in fresh PBST as just demonstrated and incubate the samples with infinity biotin peroxidase complex for 40 minutes followed by staining with an appropriate chromogenic agent. Mount the labeled sections onto glass microscope slides and soak the slides in anhydrous ethanol for 5 minutes once the mounted sections have fully dried.Next soak the slides in xylene for 10 minutes and seal them with an appropriate mounting medium. Then image the slides with a light microscope equipped with a charge coupled device at 100, 200, and 400 times magnifications. eGFP immunostaining of cervical and lumbar spinal cord tissue sections reveals little or no transduction in the lumbar spinal cord of mice with a weakness score of 0, slightly enhanced transduction in mice with a weakness score of 1, and strong and widespread transductions in mice with a weakness score of 4 or 5.Quantification of the GFP staining intensity of spinal cord tissue sections from mice displaying various degrees of transient limb weakness indicates that the severity of the weakness after the virus solution injection closely correlates with the extent of the spinal cord transduction. In the brain, robust eGFP signals are detected in the olfactory bulb, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dentate gyrus, and the CA3 zone of the hippocampus, cerebellar cortex, and marginal areas of the brainstem, including the facial nucleus, choroid plexus, and the ependymal epithelial cells. Motor neurons in the anterior horns are also strongly transduced in different levels of the spinal cord.Moreover, in the cortex, GFP positive neurons including pyramidal cells are detected as well as various glial cell types including microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. This technique enables researchers in the neurology field to explore the therapeutic effects of direct intrathecal delivery in small awake animals on central nervous system diseases.

direct-intrathecal-injection-recombinant-adeno-associated-viruses

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Intracranial Injection of Adeno-associated Viral Vectors

Intracranial injection of viral vectors engineered to express a fluorescent protein is a versatile labeling technique for visualization of specific subsets of cells in different brain regions both in vivo and in brain sections. Unlike the injection of fluorescent dyes, viral labeling offers targeting of individual cell types and is less expensive and time consuming than establishing transgenic mouse lines. In this technique, an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector is injected intracranially using stereotaxic coordinates, a micropipette and an automated pump for precise delivery of AAV to the desired area with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Injection parameters can be tailored to individual experiments by adjusting the animal age at injection, injection location, volume of injection, rate of injection, AAV serotype and the promoter driving gene expression. Depending on the conditions chosen, virally-induced transgene expression can allow visualization of groups of cells, individual cells or fine cellular processes, down to the level of dendritic spines. The experiment shown here depicts an injection of double-stranded AAV expressing green fluorescent protein for the labeling of neurons and glia in the mouse primary visual cortex.

Here we present the intracranial injection of AAV vectors for fluorescent labeling of neurons and glia in the visual cortex.

Intracranial injection of viral vectors engineered to express a fluorescent protein is a versatile labeling technique for visualization of specific ...

Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 (AAV9) Vector Delivery in Adult Mice

The successful development of a subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) vector delivery technique in adult rats and pigs has been reported on previously. Using subpially-placed polyethylene catheters (PE-10 or PE-5) for AAV9 delivery, potent transgene expression through the spinal parenchyma (white and gray matter) in subpially-injected spinal segments has been demonstrated. Because of the wide range of transgenic mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases, there is a strong desire for the development of a potent central nervous system (CNS)-targeted vector delivery technique in adult mice. Accordingly, the present study describes the development of a spinal subpial vector delivery device and technique to permit safe and effective spinal AAV9 delivery in adult C57BL/6J mice. In spinally immobilized and anesthetized mice, the pia mater (cervical 1 and lumbar 1-2 spinal segmental level) was incised with a sharp 34 G needle using an XYZ manipulator. A second XYZ manipulator was then used to advance a blunt 36G needle into the lumbar and/or cervical subpial space. The AAV9 vector (3-5 &#181;L; 1.2 x 1013 genome copies (gc)) encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) was then injected subpially. After injections, neurological function (motor and sensory) was assessed periodically, and animals were perfusion-fixed 14 days after AAV9 delivery with 4% paraformaldehyde. Analysis of horizontal or transverse spinal cord sections showed transgene expression throughout the entire spinal cord, in both gray and white matter. In addition, intense retrogradely-mediated GFP expression was seen in the descending motor axons and neurons in the motor cortex, nucleus ruber, and formatio reticularis. No neurological dysfunction was noted in any animals. These data show that the subpial vector delivery technique can successfully be used in adult mice, without causing procedure-related spinal cord injury, and is associated with highly potent transgene expression throughout the spinal neuraxis.

Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 AAV9 Vector Delivery in Adult Mice

The goal of the present study was to develop and validate the potency and safety of spinal adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated gene delivery by using a novel subpial gene delivery technique in adult mice.

The successful development of a subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) vector delivery technique in adult rats and pigs has been reported on previously. ...

Adeno-associated Virus-mediated Transgene Expression in Genetically Defined Neurons of the Spinal Cord

Selective manipulation of spinal neuronal subpopulations has mainly been achieved by two different methods: 1) Intersectional genetics, whereby double or triple transgenic mice are generated in order to achieve selective expression of a reporter or effector gene (e.g., from the Rosa26 locus) in the desired spinal population. 2) Intraspinal injection of Cre-dependent recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV); here Cre-dependent AAV vectors coding for the reporter or effector gene of choice are injected into the spinal cord of mice expressing Cre recombinase in the desired neuronal subpopulation. This protocol describes how to generate Cre-dependent rAAV vectors and how to transduce neurons in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord segments L3-L5 with rAAVs. As the lumbar spinal segments L3-L5 are innervated by those peripheral sensory neurons that transmit sensory information from the hindlimbs, spontaneous behavior and responses to sensory tests applied to the hindlimb ipsilateral to the injection side can be analyzed in order to interrogate the function of the manipulated neurons in sensory processing. We provide examples of how this technique can be used to analyze genetically defined subsets of spinal neurons. The main advantages of virus-mediated transgene expression in Cre transgenic mice compared to classical reporter mouse-induced transgene expression are the following: 1) Different Cre-dependent rAAVs encoding various reporter or effector proteins can be injected into a single Cre transgenic line, thus overcoming the need to create several multiple transgenic mouse lines. 2) Intraspinal injection limits manipulation of Cre-expressing cells to the injection site and to the time after injection. The main disadvantages are: 1) Reporter gene expression from rAAVs is more variable. 2) Surgery is required to transduce the spinal neurons of interest. Which of the two methods is more appropriate depends on the neuron population and research question to be addressed.

Intraspinal injection of recombinase dependent recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) can be used to manipulate any genetically labelled cell type in the spinal cord. Here we describe how to transduce neurons in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord. This technique enables functional interrogation of the manipulated neuron subtype.

Selective manipulation of spinal neuronal subpopulations has mainly been achieved by two different methods: 1) Intersectional genetics, whereby double or ...

Double Direct Injection of Blood into the Cisterna Magna as a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Among strokes, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) consecutive to the rupture of a cerebral arterial aneurysm represents 5-9% but is responsible for about 30% of the total stroke-related mortality with an important morbidity in terms of neurological outcome. A delayed cerebral vasospasm (CVS) may occur most often in association with a delayed cerebral ischemia. Different animal models of SAH are now being used including endovascular perforation and direct injection of blood into the cisterna magna or even the prechiasmatic cistern, each exhibiting distinct advantages and disadvantages. In this article, a standardized mouse model of SAH by double direct injection of determined volumes of autologous whole blood into the cisterna magna is presented. Briefly, mice were weighed and then anesthetized by isoflurane inhalation. Then, the animal was placed in a reclining position on a heated blanket maintaining a rectal temperature of 37 &#176;C and positioned in a stereotactic frame with a cervical bend of about 30&#176;. Once in place, the tip of an elongated glass micropipette filled with the homologous arterial blood taken from carotid artery of another mouse of the same age and gender (C57Bl/6J) was positioned at a right angle in contact with the atlanto-occipital membrane by means of a micromanipulator. Then 60 &#181;L of blood was injected in the cisterna magna followed by a 30&#176; downward tilt of the animal for 2 minutes. The second infusion of 30 &#181;L of blood into the cisterna magna was performed 24 h after the first one. The individual follow-up of each animal is carried out daily (careful evaluation of weight and well-being). This procedure allows a predictable and highly reproducible distribution of blood, likely accompanied by intracranial pressure elevation that can be mimicked by an equivalent injection of an artificial cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), and represents an acute to mild-model of SAH inducing low mortality.

We described in this protocol a standardized subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) mouse model by a double injection of autologous whole-blood into the cisterna magna. The high degree of standardization of the double-injection procedure represents a middle-to-acute model of SAH with relative safety regarding mortality.

Among strokes, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) consecutive to the rupture of a cerebral arterial aneurysm represents 5-9% but is responsible for about 30% ...

Electrocorticographic Recording of Cerebral Cortex Areas Manipulated Using an Adeno-Associated Virus Targeting Cofilin in Mice

The use of electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in rodents is relevant to sleep research and to the study of a wide range of neurological conditions. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are increasingly used to improve understanding of brain circuits and their functions. The AAV-mediated manipulation of specific cell populations and/or of precise molecular components has been tremendously useful to identify new sleep regulatory circuits/molecules and key proteins contributing to the adverse effects of sleep loss. For instance, inhibiting activity of the filamentous actin-severing protein&#160;cofilin&#160;using AAV prevents sleep deprivation-induced memory impairment. Here, a protocol is&#160;described that combines the manipulation of cofilin function in a cerebral cortex area with the recording of ECoG activity to examine whether cortical cofilin modulates the wakefulness and sleep ECoG signals. AAV injection is performed during the same surgical procedure as the implantation of ECoG and electromyographic (EMG) electrodes in adult male and female mice. Mice are anesthetized, and their heads are shaved. After skin cleaning and incision, stereotaxic coordinates of the motor cortex are determined, and the skull is pierced at this location. A cannula prefilled with an AAV expressing cofilinS3D, an inactive form of cofilin, is slowly positioned in the cortical tissue. After AAV infusion, gold-covered screws (ECoG electrodes) are screwed through the skull and cemented to the skull with gold wires inserted in the neck muscles (EMG electrodes). The animals are allowed three weeks to recover and to ensure sufficient expression of cofilinS3D. The infected area and cell type are verified using immunohistochemistry, and the ECoG is analyzed using visual identification of vigilance states and spectral analysis. In summary, this combined methodological approach allows the investigation of the precise contribution of molecular components regulating neuronal morphology and connectivity to the regulation of synchronized cerebral cortex activity during wakefulness and sleep.

This article describes a protocol for the manipulation of molecular targets in the cerebral cortex using adeno-associated viruses and for monitoring the effects of this manipulation during wakefulness and sleep using electrocorticographic recordings.

The use of electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in rodents is relevant to sleep research and to the study of a wide range of neurological conditions. ...

DREADDs Technology and Automated Blood Sampling

Remote Neuronal Activation Coupled with Automated Blood Sampling to Induce and Measure Circulating Luteinizing Hormone in Mice

Circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are an essential index of the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary control of reproduction. The role of numerous inputs and neuronal populations in the modulation of LH release is still unknown. Measuring changes in LH levels in mice is often a challenge since they are easily disrupted by environmental stress. Current techniques to measure LH release and pulsatility require long-term training for mice to adapt to manipulation stress, certain restraint, the presence of the investigator, and working on individual animals, reducing its usefulness for many research questions.
This paper presents a technique to remotely activate specific neuronal populations using Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) technology coupled with automated sequential blood sampling in conscious, freely moving, and undisturbed mice. We first describe the stereotaxic surgery protocol to deliver adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors expressing DREADDs to specific neuronal populations. Next, we describe the protocol for carotid artery and jugular vein cannulation and postsurgical connection to the CULEX automated blood sampling system. Finally, we describe the protocol for clozapine-N-oxide intravenous injection for remote neuronal activation and automated blood collection. This technique allows for programmed automated sampling every 5 min or longer for a given period, coupled with intravenous substance injection at a desired time point or duration. Overall, we found this technique to be a powerful approach for research on neuroendocrine control.

Author Spotlight: Automated Infusion and Blood Sampling for Precise Hormonal Analysis in Conscious Mice

Luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility is a hallmark of reproductive function. We describe a protocol for remote activation of specific neuronal populations linked to serial automated blood collection. This technique allows timed hormonal modulation, multiplexing, and minimizing manipulation effects on LH levels in conscious freely moving, and undisturbed animals.

Circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are an essential index of the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary control of reproduction. The role of ...

Intracerebroventricular Injection in Mice

A Comprehensive Protocol for Delivering Intrathecal Injections in Neonatal Mice

Intrathecal Injection of Newborn Mouse for Genome Editing and Drug Delivery

Intrathecal injection is a commonly employed procedure in both pediatric and adult clinics, serving as an effective means to administer medications and treatments. By directly delivering medications and treatments into the cerebrospinal fluid of the central nervous system, this method achieves higher localized drug concentrations while reducing systemic side-effects compared to other routes such as intravenous, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections. Its importance extends beyond clinical settings, as intrathecal injection plays a vital role in preclinical studies focused on treating neurogenetic disorders in rodents and other large animals, including non-human primates. However, despite its widespread application, intrathecal injection in young, particularly neonatal pups, poses significant technical challenges due to their small size and fragile nature. Successful and reliable administration of intrathecal injections in newborn mice requires meticulous attention to detail and careful consideration of various factors. Thus, there is a crucial need for a standardized protocol that not only provides instructions but also highlights key technical considerations and good laboratory practices to ensure procedural consistency, as well as the safety and welfare of the animals.
To address this unmet need, we present a detailed and comprehensive protocol for performing intrathecal injections specifically in newborn pups on postnatal day 1 (P1). By following the step-by-step instructions, researchers can confidently perform intrathecal injections in neonatal pups, enabling the accurate delivery of drugs, antisense oligos, and viruses for gene replacement or genome editing-based treatments. Furthermore, the importance of adhering to good laboratory practices is emphasized to maintain the well-being of animals and ensure reliable experimental outcomes. This protocol aims to address the technical challenges associated with intrathecal injections in neonatal mice, ultimately facilitating advances in the field of neurogenetic research that aims to develop potential therapeutic interventions.

Author Spotlight: Intrathecal Injection &#8211; An Efficient and Reliable Delivery Method to Test the Efficacy of Gene Editing in Neonatal Mouse Brains

The present protocol outlines step-by-step instructions for performing intrathecal injections in neonatal mice for gene editing and drug delivery.

Intrathecal injection is a commonly employed procedure in both pediatric and adult clinics, serving as an effective means to administer medications and ...

Lumbar Puncture Delivery of AAV9 in Juvenile Rats for CNS Gene Therapy

Intrathecal Vector Delivery in Juvenile Rats via Lumbar Cistern Injection

Gene therapy is a powerful technology to deliver new genes to a patient for the treatment of disease, be it to introduce a functional gene, inactivate a toxic gene, or provide a gene whose product can modulate the biology of the disease. The delivery method for the therapeutic vector can take many forms, ranging from intravenous infusion for systemic delivery to direct injection into the target tissue. For neurodegenerative disorders, it is often desirable to skew transduction towards the brain and/or spinal cord. The least invasive approach to target the entire central nervous system involves injection into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), allowing the therapeutic to reach a large fraction of the central nervous system. The safest approach to deliver a vector into the CSF is the lumbar intrathecal injection, where a needle is introduced into the lumbar cistern of the spinal cord. This technique, also known as a lumbar puncture, has been widely used in neonatal and adult rodents and in large animal models. While the technique is similar across species and developmental stages, subtle differences in size, structure, and elasticity of tissues surrounding the intrathecal space require accommodations in the approach. This article describes a method for performing lumbar puncture in juvenile rats to deliver an adeno-associated serotype 9 vector. Here, 25-35 &#181;L of vector were injected into the lumbar cistern, and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter was used to evaluate the transduction profile resulting from each injection. The benefits and challenges of this approach are discussed.

Author Spotlight: Assessing Intrathecal Gene Therapy Efficacy in Juvenile Rats

A surgical procedure is described to perform injections into the lumbar cistern of the juvenile rat. This approach has been used for the intrathecal delivery of gene therapy vectors, but it is anticipated that this approach can be used for a variety of therapeutics, including cells and drugs.

Gene therapy is a powerful technology to deliver new genes to a patient for the treatment of disease, be it to introduce a functional gene, inactivate a ...

Simplified and Efficient AAV Production Using HEK293 Suspension Culture

Production of High-Yield Adeno Associated Vector Batches Using HEK293 Suspension Cells

Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are a remarkable tool for investigating the central nervous system (CNS). Innovative capsids, such as AAV.PHP.eB, demonstrate extensive transduction of the CNS by intravenous injection in mice. To achieve comparable transduction, a 100-fold higher titer (minimally 1 x 1011 genome copies/mouse) is needed compared to direct injection in the CNS parenchyma. In our group, AAV production, including AAV.PHP.eB relies on adherent HEK293T cells and the triple transfection method. Achieving high yields of AAV with adherent cells entails a labor- and material-intensive process. This constraint prompted the development of a protocol for suspension-based cell culture in conical tubes. AAVs generated in adherent cells were compared to the suspension production method. Culture in suspension using transfection reagents Polyethylenimine or TransIt were compared. AAV vectors were purified by iodixanol gradient ultracentrifugation followed by buffer exchange and concentration using a centrifugal filter. With the adherent method, we achieved an average of 2.6 x 1012 genome copies (GC) total, whereas the suspension method and Polyethylenimine yielded 7.7 x 1012 GC in total, and TransIt yielded 2.4 x 1013 GC in total. There is no difference in in vivo transduction efficiency between vectors produced with adherent compared to the suspension cell system. In summary, a suspension HEK293 cell based AAV production protocol is introduced, resulting in a reduced amount of time and labor needed for vector production while achieving 3 to 9 times higher yields using components available from commercial vendors for research purposes.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Gene Therapy with High-Yield AAV Vectors Through HEK293 Suspension Cell Cultivation

Here, a suspension HEK293 cell-based AAV production protocol is presented, resulting in reduced time and labor needed for vector production using components that are available for research purposes from commercial vendors.

Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are a remarkable tool for investigating the central nervous system (CNS). Innovative capsids, such as AAV.PHP.eB, ...